Vehicular vision system with windshield mounted camera

ABSTRACT

A vehicular vision system includes a camera module that includes a camera and a circuit board. With the camera module mounted at a vehicle windshield, the camera has a field of view forward of the vehicle and through the vehicle windshield. The camera includes an imager and a lens, with the lens having a principal lens axis. The camera captures image data. The camera is electrically connected to circuitry established at the circuit board via a flexible electrical connector. Circuity of the circuit board (i) provides electrical power to the camera via the flexible electrical connector, (ii) controls the camera via the flexible electrical connector and (iii) receives image data from the camera via the flexible electrical connector. With the camera module mounted at the windshield, the circuit board is tilted at an angle relative to the principal lens axis of the lens of the camera.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is a continuation of U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 16/117,105, filed Aug. 30, 2018, now U.S. Pat. No. 10,328,868,which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/878,579,filed Jan. 24, 2018, now U.S. Pat. No. 10,065,575, which is acontinuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/494,646, filed Apr.24, 2017, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,878,679, which is a continuation of U.S.patent application Ser. No. 15/180,643, filed Jun. 13, 2016, now U.S.Pat. No. 9,630,570, which is a continuation of U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 14/112,343, filed Oct. 17, 2013, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,380,219,which is a 371 national phase filing of PCT/US12/34236, filed Apr. 19,2012, which claims the filing benefit of U.S. provisional applicationSer. No. 61/477,315, filed Apr. 20, 2011, which is hereby incorporatedherein by reference in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to imaging systems or vision systems forvehicles.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Use of imaging sensors in vehicle imaging systems is common and known.Examples of such known systems are described in U.S. Pat. Nos.5,949,331; 5,670,935 and/or 5,550,677, which are hereby incorporatedherein by reference in their entireties.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a vision system or imaging system for avehicle that utilizes one or more cameras to capture images exterior ofthe vehicle, and provides the communication/data signals, includingcamera data or image data, that may be processed by an image processor,such as for a headlamp control or other machine vision system, or thatmay be displayed at a display screen that is viewable by the driver ofthe vehicle.

According to an aspect of the present invention, a vision system for avehicle includes a camera or image sensor disposed at a windshield of avehicle and having a field of view forward of the vehicle and throughthe windshield of the vehicle, and a processor operable to process datatransmitted by the camera. The vision system or camera assembly orsystem includes an angular filter disposed at or near the windshieldforward of the camera. The angular filter comprises a substantiallytransparent film that limits reflection of light through an angularrange that generally corresponds to the stray light that reflects off ofthe vehicle (such as off of the vehicle dashboard) and would otherwiseimpinge the camera lens aperture.

The camera is electrically connected to circuitry established at acircuit board that is mounted generally along the windshield behind thecamera, and the camera preferably is electrically connected to thecircuitry via a flexible electrical connector. The flexible electricalconnector flexes to allow a viewing angle of the camera to be adjustedrelative to a mounting angle of the circuit board.

Therefore, the present invention provides an angular light filter thatrejects or substantially rejects or attenuates reflections from thevehicle dash board into the camera. The angular filter replaces thestray light cone or shroud of a typical module or housing, allowinggreater flexibility and lower mounting of the camera at the windshield.

These and other objects, advantages, purposes and features of thepresent invention will become apparent upon review of the followingspecification in conjunction with the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a camera disposed at a module thatattaches at an interior surface of a vehicle windshield and thatincludes a stray light cone in front of the camera as part of the moduleor housing;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the camera module of FIG. 1, shown withthe module mounted at a vehicle windshield with the stray light coneextending forward from the camera and along the windshield; and

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a camera assembly or system with anangular light filter disposed along the windshield in front of thecamera in accordance with the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

A vehicle vision system and/or driver assist system and/or objectdetection system and/or alert system operates to capture images exteriorof the vehicle and may process the captured image data to display imagesand to detect objects at or near the vehicle and in the predicted pathof the vehicle, such as to assist a driver of the vehicle in maneuveringthe vehicle in a forward (or rearward) direction.

Front facing vehicular cameras include optical elements that constitutethe camera. These elements are typically mounted in a vehicular camerahousing, such as a windshield electronics module housing or the like,such as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 (and such as a housing that utilizesaspects of the vision systems described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,526,103;7,480,149; 7,188,963; 6,824,281; 6,341,523; 6,250,148; 6,516,664 and/or6,968,736, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in theirentireties). As can be seen with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, the housingmay extend forward of the camera lens aperture and includes a straylight cone or shroud which serves to insulate the camera lens aperturefrom stray light that arises from reflections off the dashboard and/orwindshield. Such housings are typically relatively bulky compared to theoptical elements of the camera and thus the housing may occupy aconsiderable amount of windshield real estate or space. It thus may bedesirable to eliminate the housing, or at least minimize the extent ofthe camera housing, so as to free up space on the windshield. This wouldnot only provide better aesthetics, but also increased visibilitythrough the windshield for the driver of the vehicle.

As shown in FIG. 3, the present invention proposes to eliminate thestray light cone or shroud and minimize the camera housing so that thehousing only contains the optical elements of the camera and anynecessary interfacing elements. At the very least, the present inventionseeks to eliminate the stray light cone or shroud so that there is aminimum of the camera housing projecting forward of the camera lensaperture. Instead of a stray light cone or shroud, the camera or visionsystem 10 of the present invention includes a camera 12, with an angularfilter 14 placed on or near the windshield 16 forward of the camera 12and the camera lens aperture (and not part of or incorporated in acamera housing of a windshield electronics module or the like). Theangular filter 14 comprises a transparent (or substantially transparentor light transmitting) or see-through film, which limits orsubstantially precludes reflection of light through an angular rangecorresponding to the stray light that would otherwise impinge the cameralens aperture.

The angular filter 14 may comprise any suitable materials. For example,a suitable film material may be found on the likes of computer notebookscreens and other types of display monitors and are commerciallyavailable from the 3M Company and other suppliers. In some embodiments,the filter may be placed directly on the windshield, and in otherembodiments (and such as shown in FIG. 3) the filter may be spaced apartfrom the windshield surface on a plane just below the camera lensaperture, in which case the filter may be mounted on a transparentsubstrate (not shown) or the like. Optionally, the filter may beprovided in the form of anti-reflective coating on the windshield, whichacts to prevent reflections from the windshield.

With the proposed structure, the designer of the camera system or visionsystem is afforded a great deal of design flexibility. In particular,and as can be seen with reference to FIG. 3, it will be appreciated thatthe printed circuit board 18 and other electronic components may behoused and disposed rearward of the camera optical elements and placedhigher up on or along or near the windshield or even hidden all togetherunder the vehicle roof liner.

Optionally, and as shown in FIG. 3, a flexible coupling 20 may also beprovided between the small camera 12 and the printed circuit board 18.With such a flexible coupling (which electrically connects circuitry ofthe circuit board with circuitry of the camera to power and/or controlthe camera and to receive image data from the camera), the presentinvention may provide a universal or substantially universal solution tomany vehicles which may all have different windshield rake angles. Forexample, and as can be seen with reference to FIG. 3, the flexiblecoupling 20 may flex to allow the camera 12 to be arranged generallyhorizontally when the circuit board 18 is mounted along (and generallyparallel to) the windshield 16, such as, for example, along a windshieldthat has a rake angle of about 20 degrees, and the flexible coupling 20may be adjusted or flexed to allow the camera 12 to be arrangedgenerally horizontally when the circuit board 18 is mounted along adifferent windshield 16′, such as, for example, along a windshield thathas a rake angle of about 40 degrees. The flexible electrical connectorthus flexes to allow a viewing angle of the camera to be adjustedrelative to a mounting angle of the circuit board, depending on theparticular vehicle application of the camera system. Thus, a commoncamera assembly or system 10 may be provided that may readily be adaptedor configured for application to vehicles with different windshieldangles (with the flexible coupling or flex connection allowing foradjustment of the angular tilt or relative angles between the camera andlens axis and the circuit board), without requiring additional mountingbracketry and the like to adapt the assembly to the particular vehicle.

The camera or sensor may comprise any suitable camera or sensor.Optionally, the camera may comprise a “smart camera” that includes theimaging sensor array and associated circuitry and image processingcircuitry and electrical connectors and the like as part of a cameramodule, such as by utilizing aspects of the vision systems described inU.S. provisional applications Ser. No. 61/565,713, filed Dec. 1, 2011;and/or Ser. No. 61/563,965, filed Nov. 28, 2011, which are herebyincorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

The vehicle may include any type of sensor or sensors, such as imagingsensors or radar sensors or lidar sensors or ultrasonic sensors or thelike. The imaging sensor or camera may capture image data for imageprocessing and may comprise any suitable camera or sensing device, suchas, for example, an array of a plurality of photosensor elementsarranged in 640 columns and 480 rows (a 640×480 imaging array), with arespective lens focusing images onto respective portions of the array.The photosensor array may comprise a plurality of photosensor elementsarranged in a photosensor array having rows and columns. The logic andcontrol circuit of the imaging sensor may function in any known manner,such as in the manner described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,550,677; 5,877,897;6,498,620; 5,670,935; 5,796,094 and/or 6,396,397, and/or U.S.provisional applications, Ser. No. 61/615,410, filed Mar. 26, 2012; Ser.No. 61/613,651, filed 2012; Ser. No. 61/607,229, filed Mar. 6, 2012;Ser. No. 61/605,409, filed Mar. 1, 2012; Ser. No. 61/602,878, filed Feb.24, 2012; Ser. No. 61/602,876, filed Feb. 24, 2012; Ser. No. 61/600,205,filed Feb. 17, 2012; Ser. No. 61/588,833, filed Jan. 20, 2012; Ser. No.61/583,381, filed Jan. 5, 2012; Ser. No. 61/579,682, filed Dec. 23,2011; Ser. No. 61/570,017, filed Dec. 13, 2011; Ser. No. 61/568,791,filed Dec. 9, 2011; Ser. No. 61/567,446, filed Dec. 6, 2011; Ser. No.61/559,970, filed Nov. 15, 2011; Ser. No. 61/552,167, filed Oct. 27,2011; Ser. No. 61/540,256, filed Sep. 28, 2011; Ser. No. 61/513,745,filed Aug. 1, 2011; Ser. No. 61/511,738, filed Jul. 26, 2011; and/orSer. No. 61/503,098, filed Jun. 30, 2011, which are all herebyincorporated herein by reference in their entireties. The system maycommunicate with other communication systems via any suitable means,such as by utilizing aspects of the systems described in PCT ApplicationNo. PCT/US10/038477, filed Jun. 14, 2010, and/or U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 13/202,005, filed Aug. 17, 2011, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,126,525,and/or U.S. provisional applications, Ser. No. 61/567,150, filed Dec. 6,2011; Ser. No. 61/565,713, filed Dec. 1, 2011; and/or Ser. No.61/537,279, filed Sep. 21, 2011, which are hereby incorporated herein byreference in their entireties.

The imaging device and control and image processor and any associatedillumination source, if applicable, may comprise any suitablecomponents, and may utilize aspects of the cameras and vision systemsdescribed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,550,677; 5,877,897; 6,498,620; 5,670,935;5,796,094; 6,396,397; 6,806,452; 6,690,268; 7,005,974; 7,937,667;7,123,168; 7,004,606; 6,946,978; 7,038,577; 6,353,392; 6,320,176;6,313,454 and 6,824,281, and/or International Publication No. WO2010/099416, published Sep. 2, 2010, and/or PCT Application No.PCT/US10/47256, filed Aug. 31, 2010, and/or U.S. patent application Ser.No. 12/508,840, filed Jul. 24, 2009, and published Jan. 28, 2010 as U.S.Pat. Publication No. US 2010-0020170; and/or U.S. provisionalapplications, Ser. No. 61/511,738, filed Jul. 26, 2011; and/or Ser. No.61/503,098, filed Jun. 30, 2011, which are all hereby incorporatedherein by reference in their entireties. The camera or cameras maycomprise any suitable cameras or imaging sensors or camera modules, andmay utilize aspects of the cameras or sensors described in U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 12/091,359, filed Apr. 24, 2008; and/or Ser. No.13/260,400, filed Sep. 26, 2011, and/or U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,965,336 and/or7,480,149, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in theirentireties. The imaging array sensor may comprise any suitable sensor,and may utilize various imaging sensors or imaging array sensors orcameras or the like, such as a CMOS imaging array sensor, a CCD sensoror other sensors or the like, such as the types described in U.S. Pat.Nos. 5,550,677; 5,670,935; 5,760,962; 5,715,093; 5,877,897; 6,922,292;6,757,109; 6,717,610; 6,590,719; 6,201,642; 6,498,620; 5,796,094;6,097,023; 6,320,176; 6,559,435; 6,831,261; 6,806,452; 6,396,397;6,822,563; 6,946,978; 7,339,149; 7,038,577; 7,004,606 and/or 7,720,580,and/or U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/534,632, filed May 11, 2005,now U.S. Pat. No. 7,965,336; and/or PCT Application No.PCT/US2008/076022, filed Sep. 11, 2008 and published Mar. 19, 2009 asInternational Publication No. WO/2009/036176, and/or PCT Application No.PCT/US2008/078700, filed Oct. 3, 2008 and published Apr. 9, 2009 asInternational Publication No. WO/2009/046268, which are all herebyincorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

The camera module and circuit chip or board and imaging sensor may beimplemented and operated in connection with various vehicularvision-based systems, and/or may be operable utilizing the principles ofsuch other vehicular systems, such as a vehicle headlamp control system,such as the type disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,796,094; 6,097,023;6,320,176; 6,559,435; 6,831,261; 7,004,606; 7,339,149 and/or 7,526,103,which are all hereby incorporated herein by reference in theirentireties, a rain sensor, such as the types disclosed in commonlyassigned U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,353,392; 6,313,454; 6,320,176 and/or7,480,149, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in theirentireties, a vehicle vision system, such as a forwardly, sidewardly orrearwardly directed vehicle vision system utilizing principles disclosedin U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,550,677; 5,670,935; 5,760,962; 5,877,897; 5,949,331;6,222,447; 6,302,545; 6,396,397; 6,498,620; 6,523,964; 6,611,202;6,201,642; 6,690,268; 6,717,610; 6,757,109; 6,802,617; 6,806,452;6,822,563; 6,891,563; 6,946,978 and/or 7,859,565, which are all herebyincorporated herein by reference in their entireties, a trailer hitchingaid or tow check system, such as the type disclosed in U.S. Pat. No.7,005,974, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in itsentirety, a reverse or sideward imaging system, such as for a lanechange assistance system or lane departure warning system or for a blindspot or object detection system, such as imaging or detection systems ofthe types disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,720,580; 7,038,577; 5,929,786and/or 5,786,772, and/or U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/239,980,filed Sep. 30, 2005, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,881,496, and/or U.S.provisional applications, Ser. No. 60/628,709, filed Nov. 17, 2004; Ser.No. 60/614,644, filed Sep. 30, 2004; Ser. No. 60/618,686, filed Oct. 14,2004; Ser. No. 60/638,687, filed Dec. 23, 2004, which are herebyincorporated herein by reference in their entireties, a video device forinternal cabin surveillance and/or video telephone function, such asdisclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,760,962; 5,877,897; 6,690,268 and/or7,370,983, and/or U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/538,724, filedJun. 13, 2005 and published Mar. 9, 2006 as U.S. Publication No.US-2006-0050018-A1, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference intheir entireties, a traffic sign recognition system, a system fordetermining a distance to a leading or trailing vehicle or object, suchas a system utilizing the principles disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos.6,396,397 and/or 7,123,168, which are hereby incorporated herein byreference in their entireties, and/or the like.

Optionally, the circuit board or chip may include circuitry for theimaging array sensor and or other electronic accessories or features,such as by utilizing compass-on-a-chip or EC driver-on-a-chip technologyand aspects such as described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,255,451 and/or U.S.Pat. No. 7,480,149; and/or U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/226,628,filed Sep. 14, 2005 and published Mar. 23, 2006 as U.S. Publication No.US-2006-0061008, and/or Ser. No. 12/578,732, filed Oct. 14, 2009 andpublished Apr. 22, 2010 as U.S. Publication No. US-2010-0097469, whichare hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

Optionally, the vision system may include a display for displayingimages captured by one or more of the imaging sensors for viewing by thedriver of the vehicle while the driver is normally operating thevehicle. Optionally, for example, the vision system may include a videodisplay device disposed at or in the interior rearview mirror assemblyof the vehicle, such as by utilizing aspects of the video mirror displaysystems described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,690,268 and/or U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 13/333,337, filed Dec. 21, 2011, now U.S. Pat. No.9,264,672, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in theirentireties. The video mirror display may comprise any suitable devicesand systems and optionally may utilize aspects of the compass displaysystems described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,370,983; 7,329,013; 7,308,341;7,289,037; 7,249,860; 7,004,593; 4,546,551; 5,699,044; 4,953,305;5,576,687; 5,632,092; 5,677,851; 5,708,410; 5,737,226; 5,802,727;5,878,370; 6,087,953; 6,173,508; 6,222,460; 6,513,252 and/or 6,642,851,and/or European patent application, published Oct. 11, 2000 underPublication No. EP 0 1043566, and/or U.S. patent application Ser. No.11/226,628, filed Sep. 14, 2005 and published Mar. 23, 2006 as U.S.Publication No. US-2006-0061008, which are all hereby incorporatedherein by reference in their entireties. Optionally, the video mirrordisplay screen or device may be operable to display images captured by arearward viewing camera of the vehicle during a reversing maneuver ofthe vehicle (such as responsive to the vehicle gear actuator beingplaced in a reverse gear position or the like) to assist the driver inbacking up the vehicle, and optionally may be operable to display thecompass heading or directional heading character or icon when thevehicle is not undertaking a reversing maneuver, such as when thevehicle is being driven in a forward direction along a road (such as byutilizing aspects of the display system described in PCT Application No.PCT/US2011/056295, filed Oct. 14, 2011 and published Apr. 19, 2012 asInternational Publication No. WO 2012/051500, which is herebyincorporated herein by reference in its entirety). Optionally, thevision system (utilizing a forward and/or rearward facing camera andother cameras disposed at the vehicle with exterior fields of view)and/or the camera or cameras as part of a vehicle vision systemcomprising or utilizing a plurality of cameras (such as utilizing arearward facing camera and sidewardly facing cameras and a forwardlyfacing camera disposed at the vehicle), may provide a display of atop-down view or birds-eye view of the vehicle or a surround view at thevehicle, such as by utilizing aspects of the vision systems described inPCT Application No. PCT/US10/25545, filed Feb. 26, 2010 and published onSep. 2, 2010 as International Publication No. WO 2010/099416, and/or PCTApplication No. PCT/US10/47256, filed Aug. 31, 2010 and published Mar.10, 2011 as International Publication No. WO 2011/028686, and/or PCTApplication No. PCT/US11/62834, filed Dec. 1, 2011 and published Jun. 7,2012 as International Publication No. WO 2012-075250, and/or U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 13/333,337, filed Dec. 21, 2011, now U.S. Pat. No.9,264,672, and/or U.S. provisional applications, Ser. No. 61/615,410,filed Mar. 26, 2012; Ser. No. 61/588,833, filed Jan. 20, 2012; Ser. No.61/570,017, filed Dec. 13, 2011; Ser. No. 61/568,791, filed Dec. 9,2011; Ser. No. 61/559,970, filed Nov. 15, 2011; Ser. No. 61/540,256,filed Sep. 28, 2011, which are hereby incorporated herein by referencein their entireties.

Optionally, the video mirror display may be disposed rearward of andbehind the reflective element assembly and may comprise a display suchas the types disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,530,240; 6,329,925;7,855,755; 7,626,749; 7,581,859; 7,446,650; 7,370,983; 7,338,177;7,274,501; 7,255,451; 7,195,381; 7,184,190; 5,668,663; 5,724,187 and/or6,690,268, and/or in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/091,525, filedApr. 25, 2008, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,855,755; Ser. No. 11/226,628, filedSep. 14, 2005 and published Mar. 23, 2006 as U.S. Publication No.US-2006-0061008; and/or Ser. No. 10/538,724, filed Jun. 13, 2005 andpublished Mar. 9, 2006 as U.S. Publication No. US-2006-0050018, whichare all hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. Thedisplay is viewable through the reflective element when the display isactivated to display information. The display element may be any type ofdisplay element, such as a vacuum fluorescent (VF) display element, alight emitting diode (LED) display element, such as an organic lightemitting diode (OLED) or an inorganic light emitting diode, anelectroluminescent (EL) display element, a liquid crystal display (LCD)element, a video screen display element or backlit thin film transistor(TFT) display element or the like, and may be operable to displayvarious information (as discrete characters, icons or the like, or in amulti-pixel manner) to the driver of the vehicle, such as passenger sideinflatable restraint (PSIR) information, tire pressure status, and/orthe like. The mirror assembly and/or display may utilize aspectsdescribed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,184,190; 7,255,451; 7,446,924 and/or7,338,177, which are all hereby incorporated herein by reference intheir entireties. The thicknesses and materials of the coatings on thesubstrates of the reflective element may be selected to provide adesired color or tint to the mirror reflective element, such as a bluecolored reflector, such as is known in the art and such as described inU.S. Pat. Nos. 5,910,854; 6,420,036 and/or 7,274,501, which are herebyincorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

Optionally, the display or displays and any associated user inputs maybe associated with various accessories or systems, such as, for example,a tire pressure monitoring system or a passenger air bag status or agarage door opening system or a telematics system or any other accessoryor system of the mirror assembly or of the vehicle or of an accessorymodule or console of the vehicle, such as an accessory module or consoleof the types described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,289,037; 6,877,888;6,824,281; 6,690,268; 6,672,744; 6,386,742 and 6,124,886, and/or U.S.patent application Ser. No. 10/538,724, filed Jun. 13, 2005 andpublished Mar. 9, 2006 as U.S. Publication No. US-2006-0050018, whichare hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

Changes and modifications to the specifically described embodiments maybe carried out without departing from the principles of the presentinvention, which is intended to be limited only by the scope of theappended claims as interpreted according to the principles of patentlaw.

1. A vehicular vision system, said vehicular vision system comprising: acamera module configured for mounting at an in-cabin side of awindshield of a vehicle; wherein said camera module comprises a cameraand a circuit board; wherein, with said camera module mounted at thewindshield, said camera has a field of view forward of the vehicle andthrough the windshield of the vehicle; wherein said camera comprises animager and a lens, said lens having a principal lens axis; wherein saidcamera captures image data; wherein said camera is electricallyconnected to circuitry established at said circuit board via a flexibleelectrical connector; wherein circuity of said circuit board (i)provides electrical power to said camera via the flexible electricalconnector, (ii) controls said camera via the flexible electricalconnector and (iii) receives image data from said camera via theflexible electrical connector; and wherein, with said camera modulemounted at the windshield, said circuit board is tilted at an anglerelative to the principal lens axis of said lens of said camera.
 2. Thevehicular vision system of claim 1, comprising an image processoroperable to process image data captured by said camera.
 3. The vehicularvision system of claim 2, wherein said image processor comprises part of(i) a vehicle headlamp control system of the vehicle, (ii) a lanedeparture warning system of the vehicle and (iii) a traffic signrecognition system of the vehicle.
 4. The vehicular vision system ofclaim 2, wherein said image processor comprises part of a driverassistance system of the vehicle.
 5. The vehicular vision system ofclaim 4, wherein said driver assistance system comprises at least twoselected from the group consisting of (i) a vehicle headlamp controlsystem of the vehicle, (ii) a lane departure warning system of thevehicle, (iii) an object detection system of the vehicle, (iv) a trafficsign recognition system of the vehicle and (v) a distance determiningsystem operable to determine a distance to a leading vehicle.
 6. Thevehicular vision system of claim 1, wherein, with said camera modulemounted at the windshield, the principal lens axis of said lens of saidcamera is at or close to horizontal.
 7. The vehicular vision system ofclaim 1, wherein, with said camera module mounted at the windshield,said circuit board is generally parallel to an inner surface of thein-cabin side of the windshield local to where said camera module ismounted.
 8. The vehicular vision system of claim 1, wherein, with saidcamera module mounted at the windshield, at least a portion of saidcircuit board is disposed at the windshield rearward of said lens ofsaid camera.
 9. The vehicular vision system of claim 1, wherein theimager of said camera comprises a CMOS imager having an imaging array ofa plurality of photosensing elements arranged in at least 640 columns ofphotosensing elements and at least 480 rows of photosensing elements.10. The vehicular vision system of claim 1, wherein the windshield ofthe vehicle, as mounted in the vehicle, has a rake angle of at least 20degrees.
 11. The vehicular vision system of claim 10, wherein, with saidcamera module mounted at the windshield, said circuit board is angledcloser to the rake angle of the windshield than is the angle of theprincipal lens axis of said lens of said camera.
 12. The vehicularvision system of claim 11, wherein, with said camera module mounted atthe windshield, said circuit board is angled farther from horizontalthan is the angle of the principal lens axis of said lens of saidcamera.
 13. The vehicular vision system of claim 12, wherein the rakeangle of the windshield of the vehicle is less than 40 degrees.
 14. Avehicular vision system, said vehicular vision system comprising: acamera module configured for mounting at an in-cabin side of awindshield of a vehicle; wherein said camera module comprises a cameraand a circuit board; wherein, with said camera module mounted at thewindshield, said camera has a field of view forward of the vehicle andthrough the windshield of the vehicle; wherein said camera comprises animager and a lens, said lens having a principal lens axis; wherein theimager of said camera comprises a CMOS imager having an imaging array ofa plurality of photosensing elements arranged in at least 640 columns ofphotosensing elements and at least 480 rows of photosensing elements;wherein said camera captures image data; wherein said camera iselectrically connected to circuitry established at said circuit boardvia a flexible electrical connector; wherein circuity of said circuitboard (i) provides electrical power to said camera via the flexibleelectrical connector, (ii) controls said camera via the flexibleelectrical connector and (iii) receives image data from said camera viathe flexible electrical connector; wherein, with said camera modulemounted at the windshield, said circuit board is tilted at an anglerelative to the principal lens axis of said lens of said camera; whereinthe windshield of the vehicle, as mounted in the vehicle, has a rakeangle; and wherein, with said camera module mounted at the windshield,said circuit board is angled closer to the rake angle of the windshieldthan is the angle of the principal lens axis of said lens of saidcamera.
 15. The vehicular vision system of claim 14, wherein, with saidcamera module mounted at the windshield, said circuit board is angledfarther from horizontal than is the angle of the principal lens axis ofsaid lens of said camera.
 16. The vehicular vision system of claim 15,comprising an image processor operable to process image data captured bysaid camera, and wherein said image processor comprises part of a driverassistance system of the vehicle, and wherein said driver assistancesystem comprises at least two selected from the group consisting of (i)a vehicle headlamp control system of the vehicle, (ii) a lane departurewarning system of the vehicle, (iii) an object detection system of thevehicle, (iv) a traffic sign recognition system of the vehicle and (v) adistance determining system operable to determine a distance to aleading vehicle.
 17. The vehicular vision system of claim 16, whereinthe rake angle of the windshield of the vehicle is less than 40 degrees.18. The vehicular vision system of claim 17, wherein, with said cameramodule mounted at the windshield, the principal lens axis of said lensof said camera is at or close to horizontal.
 19. The vehicular visionsystem of claim 17, wherein the rake angle of the windshield of thevehicle is at least 20 degrees.
 20. The vehicular vision system of claim19, wherein said image processor comprises part of (i) a vehicleheadlamp control system of the vehicle, (ii) a lane departure warningsystem of the vehicle and (iii) a traffic sign recognition system of thevehicle.
 21. A vehicular vision system, said vehicular vision systemcomprising: a camera module configured for mounting at an in-cabin sideof a windshield of a vehicle; wherein said camera module comprises acamera and a circuit board; wherein, with said camera module mounted atthe windshield, said camera has a field of view forward of the vehicleand through the windshield of the vehicle; wherein said camera comprisesan imager and a lens, said lens having a principal lens axis; whereinthe imager of said camera comprises a CMOS imager having an imagingarray of a plurality of photosensing elements arranged in at least 640columns of photosensing elements and at least 480 rows of photosensingelements; wherein said camera captures image data; wherein said camerais electrically connected to circuitry established at said circuit boardvia a flexible electrical connector; wherein circuity of said circuitboard (i) provides electrical power to said camera via the flexibleelectrical connector, (ii) controls said camera via the flexibleelectrical connector and (iii) receives image data from said camera viathe flexible electrical connector; wherein, with said camera modulemounted at the windshield, said circuit board is tilted at an anglerelative to the principal lens axis of said lens of said camera; animage processor operable to process image data captured by said camera;wherein said image processor comprises part of a driver assistancesystem of the vehicle; and wherein said driver assistance systemcomprises at least two selected from the group consisting of (i) avehicle headlamp control system of the vehicle, (ii) a lane departurewarning system of the vehicle, (iii) an object detection system of thevehicle, (iv) a traffic sign recognition system of the vehicle and (v) adistance determining system operable to determine a distance to aleading vehicle.
 22. The vehicular vision system of claim 21, wherein,with said camera module mounted at the windshield, the principal lensaxis of said lens of said camera is at or close to horizontal.
 23. Thevehicular vision system of claim 22, wherein the windshield of thevehicle, as mounted in the vehicle, has a rake angle of less than 40degrees.
 24. The vehicular vision system of claim 22, wherein thewindshield of the vehicle, as mounted in the vehicle, has a rake angleof at least 20 degrees.
 25. The vehicular vision system of claim 22,wherein said image processor comprises part of (i) a vehicle headlampcontrol system of the vehicle, (ii) a lane departure warning system ofthe vehicle and (iii) a traffic sign recognition system of the vehicle.26. The vehicular vision system of claim 21, wherein, with said cameramodule mounted at the windshield, said circuit board is angled closer toa rake angle of the windshield than is the angle of the principal lensaxis of said lens of said camera.
 27. The vehicular vision system ofclaim 21, wherein, with said camera module mounted at the windshield,said circuit board is angled farther from horizontal than is the angleof the principal lens axis of said lens of said camera.